1. Boston Celtics (23-2)- They have now won 15 in a row, but their big matchup with Atlanta Wednesday night at Phillips Arena should be a big test. Last week's ranking: 1

2. Los Angeles Lakers (20-3)- Again, this is a tough call for another week. Who is number 2? Well, the Lakers are this week since they have won 3 in a row and the Cavs lost their last game. The Lakers get the Knicks tonight, they should win that one. Last week's ranking: 3

3. Cleveland Cavaliers (20-4)- The Cavs had the chance to break the franchise record with 12 wins in a row, but give Atlanta credit, they beat them. Friday night, the Cavs meet Denver at Denver, so that should be a fun game to watch. Last week's ranking: 2

4. Orlando Magic (19-6)- The Magic continue to stay under the radar, but they earned this spot more than any other team. Last week's ranking: 4

5. Denver Nuggets (17-7)- The Nuggets had a big win last night against Dallas. They have another big game on Friday night against the Cavs. Anytime Chauncey Billups is on the court, his team has a shot. Last week's ranking: 6

6. San Antonio Spurs (15-8)- Stop me if you heard this before. The Spurs have won 6 in a row and have found themselves a top the Southwest Division. Their game against the Hornets tomorrow evening should be big. Last week's ranking: 13

7. Atlanta Hawks (15-9)- The Hawks earn this spot with a great win over the Cavs Saturday night. They also have a big showdown with Boston tomorrow evening, that has to be considered a must win for them. Last week's ranking: 10

8. New Orleans Hornets (13-7)- A big game tomorrow evening against the Spurs. Chris Paul once again has emerged into a MVP candidate. Last week's ranking: 8

9. Houston Rockets (15-9)- Now the Rockets have Tracy McGrady back, and that can only help them, if he can stay healthy down the stretch. Last week's ranking: 7

10. Portland Trail Blazers (15-10)- They have lost 3 games in a row, but are still 6-4 in their last 10 games. They should win tonight against Sacramento. A big game against the Phoenix Suns Thursday night. Last week's ranking: 5

11. Phoenix Suns (15-10)- Jason Richardson has brought the Suns wins, but Steve Nash is still whining about losing his friend. Hey Steve, it's a business, try and win a championship. I'm just saying. Last week's ranking: 15

12. Utah Jazz (15-11)- Carlos Boozer is still hurting, and the Jazz, once unbeatable at home suddenly have become beatable. They have a game against the Nets on Wednesday. Last week's ranking: 11

13. Detroit Pistons (13-9)- Well, they have now won 2 in a row, and we haven't heard much negative news about Alan Iverson this week, that has to be considered good, right? Last week's ranking: 16

14. Dallas Maverics (13-10)- They have fallen a bit the last week, but they have 2 winnable games this week against Toronto and New Jersey respectively. Last week's ranking: 9

15. New Jersey Nets (12-11)- They finally beat Toronto on Monday. The question is can they sustain the win and build from there? Well, their next game is against Utah Wednesday night, that could be the real test. Last week's ranking: 12

16. Miami Heat- The Heat have been struggling and are now back at .500. Their next game is Friday night against the Lakers. We'll see if D-Wade can carry the team on his back. Last week's ranking: 14

17. Chicago Bulls (11-12)- The Bulls have been hovering around lately, winning 5 of their last 10 games and they might make their move. Their next game is against Charlotte tonight. Last week's ranking: 17

18. New York Knicks (11-13)- They have a game against the Lakers tonight, fresh from a loss Monday night. I don't like their chances. Last week's ranking: 19

19. Milwaukee Bucs (11-15)- They have won their last 2 games and the next 3 games are against the 76ers, Knicks, and Clippers. They might have a 5 game winning streak heading into next week. Last week's ranking: 20

20. Philadelphia 76ers (10-14)- There was so much promise going into this season that this week, the disappointing 76ers fired Maurice Cheeks. I am not sure if that was the immedate answer, but we're going to find out. Last week's ranking: 18

21. Toronto Raptors (10-14)- Another disappointing start, the Raptors have lost their last 2 games. Their next game is against Dallas Wednesday, so that might not be a good result either. Last week's ranking: 21

22. Memphis Grizzlies (9-15)- Memphis have now won 4 in a row and have a game tonight against New Orleans. That might be a loss, but it's at Memphis and the Grizzlies have a 7-5 record at home now. Last week's ranking: 24

23. Indiana Pacers (8-16)- In my opinion, the Pacers had one of the toughest schedules in the NBA, especially for a young team. Which makes me feel they will start winning more games. They are facing Golden State, L.A. Clippers, and Philadelphia. So they have a shot at winning all 3 of those games, but it has to start right here, right now. Last week's ranking: 23

24. Los Angeles Clippers (6-17)- The Clippers have played better this week, now have a 2 game winning streak, but there's still plenty of room to improve on. I am surprised that Mike Dunleavy still has a job. Last week's ranking: 27

25. Sacramento Kings (7-18)- Reggie Theus was the latest casualty, but the Kings won their game against Minnesota. They will have a tough game tonight against the Portland Trail Blazers. Last week's ranking: 28

26. Golden State Warriors (7-18)- Well, they have lost 3 in a row, but they do have Charlotte on Saturday. Last week's ranking: 25

27. Charlotte Bobcats (7-18)- Losers of 7 in a row, a tough game against Chicago tonight, so is Larry Brown losing his patience? Last week's ranking: 22

28. Washington Wizards (4-18)- They have lost 3 in a row again, but now with Charlotte struggling, they find themselves only 1 1/2 games from 4th place. They have 2 matchups with Detroit and Philadelphia 76ers this week. Last week's ranking: 29

29. Minnesota Timberwolves (4-20)- Lost 10 in a row, and their next game is against Cleveland tomorrow evening. Can we say losing 11 in a row? Last week's ranking: 26

30. Oklahoma City Thunder (2-23)- They have lost 7 more games, but have a chance tonight against the Clippers. We shall see. Last week's ranking: 30

14. Miami Heat (12-9)- Dwayne Wade has put up MVP numbers this season, which means he's healthy. That is always huge for any Eastern conference opponets.

15. Phoenix Suns (12-9)- The Suns are one of thos bubble teams, and this season has shown that. 4-6 the last 10 games shows they have been struggling lately though.

16. Detroit Pistons (11-8)- The Pistons have been slipping lately, but with Antonio McDyess signing with the club again could provide some help. But don't count on it right away, most players need about 10 games to get into game shape.

17. Chicago Bulls (9-11)- The Bulls have the young pieces, but Joakim Noah might be the most important piece, he needs to be more consistent and the Bulls need to figure out what he can and cannot do to help this team.

18. Philadelphia 76ers (9-12)- The 6ers can always be a dangerous team, but they need to figure out how to gel as a team before they are considered a playoff team.

19. New York Knicks (9-11)- David Lee is a beast and the Knicks have been building around him. Almost a guarenteed double double every night.

21. Toronto Raptors- (8-11)- A new coach, this team needs to bounce back fast. They have a tough matchup tonight against the Cavs.

22. Charlotte Bobcats- (7-14)- The Bobcats have a nice young nucleus of players, the problem is will Larry Brown be patient enough to stick around by the time this team finally wins? Odds aren't in favor of it.

23. Indiana Pacers- (7-13)- This team plays hard for Jim O' Brien. The problem though is they have still been losing, but Danny Granger has played very well and become one of the young forces in the NBA.

24. Memphis Grizzlies (6-15)- Memphis still has Rudy Gay, and that's always a good thing.

25. Golden State Warriors (6-15)- Winning 1 game over their last 10 does not help Don Nelson at all.

26. Minnesota Timberwolves (4-15)- Kevin McHale will help this young team, he is a better head coach than Randy Whittman, but will McHale want to keep coaching after this season?

I have read everyone and their mother talk about it's a for sure thing that Lebron is leaving Cleveland after the 2009-2010 season. In fact, I haven't read many bloggers say he will stay, a few, yes, but not many. Count me in as someone who says Lebron will stay. Why? It's simple, the next two seasons, the Cavs have the best shot at winning championships. It won't be about the money, the Cavs can and WILL offer him the league maximum at $140 million. The Cavaliers know how important Lebron is, no if he does leave it will be because he sees a place where he has a better shot at winning mulitiple championships. Lebron has made that perfectly clear, and I can respect that. Which makes me think does the Knicks have a shot at winning a championship the next five years? Well, in order to have a shot, a team must reach the playoffs first and they haven't been there in quite some time. Plus Mike D' Antoni, though a good regular season coach has never won a title himself, so what makes any pundit think he has what it takes to do in New York something he couldn't do in Phoenix, who had far better talent? New Jersey? Please, that team won't move to Brooklyn until at least 2011, at the very earliest. So I doubt they will have a shot at anything the next two years. It's very possible he will go to Los Angeles and play with Kobe and that would be an attractive offer. But can Kobe play second fiddle to a person who by that point will surpass him as the best NBA player in the league? Detroit? Now why on earth will he go to Detroit when he has played in Cleveland, a similar market, and ditto on San Antonio. The truth is Cleveland is his best destination and possibly the best place for him to win championships. Remember this, Lebron wants to build a legacy, and he has done that with Cleveland. The Cavs have made successful runs to the postseason the last three years, including making it to the NBA Finals in 2007 when they had no business going there, on paper. This season, the Cavs have the best shot to bring a championship, look at the team. 10-3, 7-0 at home, something they had never done for 32 years. If someone doesn't take them seriously, then they don't know their basketball. I realize it's how you finish, but this team now is about how you start too. We know they can finish, now they are starting, which is a big reason to win the Central division. You get there first, you get home court advantage.

The bottom line is we can read whatever the arrogant New York writers write about, but the truth is THEY don't know if he will move. Right now, Cleveland is a far more attractive place to play than New York is, and that is the key to the ultimate decision. The point is never count out Cleveland because there is no better place than home.

Everytime I turn on ESPN, it's the contuing saga of Brett Favre and the "He has showed up to camp" and the "He has just left camp" news. Speaking from an outsider point of view, the man that gets hurt the most in this is Aaron Rodgers. When Aaron got drafted in the 2005 draft, he may have went 24th when he was projected so much lower, he was in the best position because he would be learning under Brett Favre, who at that time was one of the best Quarterbacks in the entire league. Now 3 years later, it his time to be the man in Green Bay. He is going to be a free agent after next season and it is time for Green Bay to see what he can do. Brett, for everything he has done for the organization had to know this would happen because Green Bay was pressuring to retire him before the 2007 season, before he was rejuvenated and led his Green Bay Packers to a NFC Championship game, only to be defeated by the New York Giants in overtime. And as for Green Bay, trade him to any team, including your own division. If you have faith in Aaron Rodgers, then prove the world wrong, show the world this was your man all along. If you look at history anyway, the legendary QB's of our time, the Joe Montana's, the Joe Namath's Johnny Unitas' have gone on to toehr teams, only to be the shell of their former team. If Favre goes to Minnesota, what happens then if Adrian Peterson goes down with an injury? If he goes to Chicago, how much better will Favre make that team, at his age? I think what ultimately needs to happen is Green Bay needs to trade Favre to any team, and let's just get back to playing football, please?